Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1887-01-28
THE CITY oFFIcERs ELECTED.

CITY SERGEANT-POrter smith, ID.
wHARFMASTER- II. Crockard, ID
THE CITY OFFICERS ELECTED.
The city election of yesterday was the
most exciting contest for the control OF thu
municipal offices and Council occurring
within recent years. Several reason:
combined to arouse a deep concern
on the part of the general public
early in the canvas, and Is the decisive
day drew near the interest deepened and
intensified until, yesterday, q very large
proportion of our citizens dropped all thu
ordinary affairs of life and turned their at
tentiOn solely to the business of electins
OF defeating some one OF more Of the vari
Gus candidates. The result is apparent IL
the large aggregate vote polled, and ex
plains the unanimity with which the mem
bers of each party crowded the City Hal
last night and the persistency with which
they fingered about the streets, discussing
the result and waiting for the saloons to
open.
Democrats have every reason to be sat
isied with the result of the ball0ting
save the loss of Council. c. w
Seabright was elected Mayor by majority
which cannot be questioned, in the face OI
circumstances which rendered success
doubtful, even to his most sangnint
friends. Mr.. Seabright, however, went
into the fight, and by his untiring energy
his personal popularity, and the loyalty Of
his party, was enabled to score victory
over his competitor for the Office. He will
make good Mayor.
| Captain Porter Smith covered himself
with glory WrOnged, abused and insulted
BY his political enemies, he has secured a
triumph which is doubly satisfactory to
| him and his friends. Four hundred ma
| iOrity over a competitor who showed such
great popularity at two former elections
| demonstrates beyond a doubt that the
voters of Wheeling believe Captain Smith
TO be by far the fittest man for the office
and are content to entrust the preservation
OF the peace and good order of the city
i'm his hands. In electing him the people
rebuke in the most summary manner those
who have made it their special business t.
| maligu him and his administration.
Thomas F. Thoner was not elected, but
he astonished himself and his friends by
the large vote he pOlled. The young mar
who can 90 before the people and come
within 40 votes of downing Frank w
Bowers, is, in the language of the day, 4
dandy" and Mr.. ThOner is entitled t.
hearty congratulations upon his all but
successful canvass. His successful com
petitor. Mr.. Bowers, needs no introduction
or commendatiOn. His official recotd, ant
his popularity, speak for him.
When the voters came to John K. Crock
\ ard, they made it unanimous, and the
compliment was in every way Justltable.
Mr.. CrOckard's personal popularity and
| his peculiar fitness for the office OF WhaI +
master. made it impossible that any Re-
publican could enter the list against him
with the remOtest hope OF success. He got
all but afew scattering votes, and will re-
main at his post for another term.
Take it all around, and the City's affairs
will be left in good and competent hands
during the ensuing two years.
THE DAY AT THE POLLS.
The day was a splendid one for election
purposes, and o very large vote was pOlled
all over the city. The crowds around the
polling places were uniformly large, and at
two or three points, like the Second and
Third wards, there were more people out
than on any previous occasion within the
memory of old politicians. The vote, rs
a general thing, was early put in the boxes,
and by rOen twO-thirdS of the ballots had
been deposited in the various wards.
| There was very little disorder, the nearest
approach To a fight observed by REGIsTEB
reporters occurring at the Fourth ward
poll about 3 o'clock.
Early in the afternoon it became evident
to careful observers that the tide was
setting strongly toward the Democratic
side of the stream, and the friends Of
Captain Smith claimed his election at !
O'Clock by from two to three hundred ma.
jority. The Republicans lost confidence
IN Captain Bennett early, and practically
gave mp the light for him by o'clock,
eentering their endeavors thereafter on get
ting in the flag end of the vote for Captain
DOvener and Frank Bowers, both ofwhom
they felt, needed every ballot they cOnld
rake and scrape up. All day long, how
ever, they waged q determined fight fol
Council, and 80 we'll did they play theil
cards that they secured a small majority il
each Branch.
Some Of the Councilmanic contests wer,
red hot in their nature, and on each sid,
everything else was sacrificed to Obtain
votes for some aspiring statesman. Suct
fights occurred in the First, Second anC
Sixth wards particularly, for First Branch
and excited general attention.
AT THE CITY HALL, LAST NIGHT.
1t was hardly dark, last evening, befor
excited and interested voters, singly ant
in groups, began to wend their way TOWARD
the City Hall, where the returns were to b
sent from the various wards, and by half
past six o'clock dense thrOug filled tn,
corridors, the police Office, the City Clerk
and Receivers rooms, and all the available
lobby space outside. There was no
the remotest prospect of One-tenth of thos'
present getting within sight or sound of tn
official figures, which were transcribed IL
the Clerks inner Office, but the police tele
phone was worked for all it was worth
and unofficial figures from the various
polls furnished sufficient information Il
give an intelligent idea Of the drift o
things to all who were DESTROYS of know
ing.
The first ward to report was the Fourth
and the rousing Democratic majority i
gave was very cheering to the friends o
Nr. Seabright and his colleagues. Th,
Second ward came next, with most dis
couraging news for the Republicans, ant
when it was quickly followed by the Sew
enth with but % majority for Bennett, j
groan WAS wrung from the partizans o.
that unfortunate candidate.
After long interval the Fifth ware
came in, followed in half an hour by tn,
Eighth. These, with unofficial returns
from the other three wards, set the expert
to figuring, and hot disputes arose as t
whether Seabright or Dovener had beei
elected Mayor, while the fate Of Bower
IanI Tbnnar hmm tran, hlinor in tia hal nea